


Someone's Out There (Sending Out Flares)

by dormant_bender



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Budding Love, Chronic Pain, Confessions, Constructive Criticism Welcome, Eventual Romance, F/M, Feels, Forehead Kisses, Hurt/Comfort, Massage, Mentions of Luke Skywalker, POV Female Character, Post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Promises, Scars, Short One Shot, Star Wars: The Force Awakens Spoilers, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, mentions of leia organa, sort of spoilers at least
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-12
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-05-13 11:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5705620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dormant_bender/pseuds/dormant_bender
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Late night visits are consistent, and Rey decides that she adores them more than anything else.</p><p>—</p><p>"No, Rey, I mean it. I didn't think I'd matter to anyone after I left the First Order.. And then I met you and you looked at me like I did matter, like I was someone important." He chuckles solemnly and nuzzles against his arms. "It feels good — great, wonderful even. And, I, well.. You matter to me just as much, if not more."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Someone's Out There (Sending Out Flares)

**Author's Note:**

> This was a mega-feels trip and I decided to do a concept I don't think was addressed yet ? Or maybe it has been and I haven't read a fic about it yet ? 
> 
> And, yes, I totally listened to Flares by The Script when writing this. Don't do it — You don't want that kind of pain, I swear. :l

Returning from training with Luke had been one of the most anticipated moments of her young life. She wasn't quite a Jedi, which was to be expected, but had been told that she had the utmost potential to be one of the greats. Not that she was so confident in that herself, she still saw herself as regular, old Rey.

Part of her was still the child on Jakku riddled with nightmares about her parents abandoning her, the young teen who scavenged for parts of a wrecked ship just to barely scrape by for the day. As aware as she was that things were different, she still yearned to return to Jakku, part of her still lingering there. Sometimes she would ponder whether or not her parents had stopped by on her absence, wakes up thinking that she must go back, but she knows they're just dreams.

That doesn't stop the hope that warmly radiates within her chest.

Half of her day was dedicated to training with Luke, eyes closed, legs crossed, focusing on breathing and meditation as she attempts to center her body with her spirit. She can't deny the tranquility it brings her, grateful for the silence that surrounds her. Shortly after the Skywalker would prompt her to faux-fight him, teaching her techniques and nodding his encouragement when she properly parries and strikes.

The other half was dedicated to assisting the pilots and using her mechanical skills to fix or alter fighter jets. Which undoubtedly gave her more than enough time to speak to Poe and Finn, as well as BB-8 who generally beamed at her, asking questions here and there. But it wasn't enough contact, in her opinion, not since she had grown such a strong attachment to Finn and the way his eyes would crinkle when he smiles at her when he thinks she's not looking.

Eventually she had started sneaking through the corridors, light like air on her feet, as she finds the corridor in which the ex-Stormtrooper resides. They had given him a room next to the medical bay, the man suffering from back pain spontaneously at times, the remnants of battle etched into his skin. It had become a habit of hers to glide through the metal door, only the shushed hiss of it opening and closing filling the surrounding area.

When Rey she enters his room, she spots him propped up comfortably on his cot, eyes glued to the files clutched within his hands. An affectionate smile plays upon her lips as she knocks on the wall in a quiet attempt of alerting him to her presence.

"Rey! I thought you weren't gonna come at first, and I was just gonna read these files the General gave me before I went to bed." He scoots over on his cot, having more than enough room for her, and motions for her to sit.

"Sorry I'm late? I had some last minute things to do before tomorrow is all. If you're tired, I can go?" Rey offers with a reassuring smile as she crosses the distance to plop unceremoniously upon his bed.

"No! No, Rey, I'm fine.. Seriously." He tosses the files haphazardly upon the small table beside his cot, shifting once more until he's comfortable again: "I'm arguably a lot better since you got here, actually."

The brunette quirks an amused brow as she reaches for the files, sifting aimlessly through them. "What's this?" She questions, glancing at him over the parchment, before returning her gaze to the scrawled words.

"Oh, uh — I got those from General Organa. I figured I should, y'know, do something useful with my time instead of being in bed most of the day. I'm fine working with Poe, it's just— I wanna go out and do things and feel at least somewhat useful and important." Most of the medics were still concerned about his back, especially since he experiences the occasional ache here and there, which is why he was restricted solely to the base.

Thoughtful hums spew from the brunette before she glances at him curiously once more: "These are files for my mission coming up in a few days? _Finn_?"

"Oh, yeah. Ha." Fingers fiddle anxiously within his lap and he releases a bashful chuckle. "I had to practically beg the General to give something to do, and then when she did give me something to do, I—It just wasn't for me. So I may or may not have subtly convinced her to let me go out with you and, uh, yeah. It took about three or four tries but she eventually agreed to let me go as long as I radio in if I have any type of pain."

"I'm not too keen on you hurting yourself and doing too much before you're properly healed," Hisses the brunette as she gently places the files back upon the table top. "I can't believe she's letting you go."

"I thought—.." Finn releases a sigh and runs a hand down the back of his neck, scratching the base awkwardly."I just wanted more time with you, I barely see you as is, and I miss you, Rey. I thought that maybe you would be happy about it?" He nervously chuckles before shrugging a shoulder: "No problem, heh. I can just go back to the General and change everything and someone else can go with you—"

"That's not what I mean, Finn." Ivory teeth nip anxiously at her low lip, a habit she had gained from the stress of missions and frustration when in training. "I'd feel a lot better with you around, but not like this. I don't want to see you hurt again."

"The doctors said I was healing up pretty good and that I'd be back to blasting in a few weeks, but I don't wanna get out of practice or something. I think it'll be good, plus, I— I just wanted to be sure that you're okay and not in trouble." Once more he flushes as he bows his head. "I know you don't need protecting, I've seen what you can do, and well—You're a Padawan training under Luke Skywalker. _The_ Luke Skywalker. But _I_ would just feel better if I was there."

Silence lapses between the two, and it begins comfortable but eventually the air between them is thick and tense. Finn had always been selfless, this she knew, but would it be selfish if she made sure he was bound to the bed when she made her leave? Or perhaps this was her way of separating herself from him; she adored their companionship and how he seemed to genuinely understand the things she had gone through. But everyone she had been attached to seemingly disappeared and abandoned her.

And, yes, he had proved himself to be valiant and had always came back. Not that, that shapes the fear that singes through her veins much like the slice of a lightsaber. She heaves a soft sigh as she looks at the man upon the bed, and unconsciously reaches out a hand toward him. It was a simple gesture she had grown fond of in the past few months they had known each other. Reassurance, acceptance, it meant a lot of things to her and to him, too, she was sure.

One thing she couldn't put into words was how to say, 'I always want you around but I'm scared that being around me will get you hurt, or worse — killed.' There was no proper way for her to express such things, especially since she was just now warming up to proper companionship after a decade of being alone in the sandy desert of Jakku with only the heat being the consistent thing in her life, permanently burned into her tanned skin.

"I suppose you can come." Comes her hesitant response as she tucks lose strands of chocolate locks securely behind her ears. "But I swear on the Force if something goes wrong and you don't tell me, I will make sure the General makes you stay here from now on with guards keeping you put."

All he can do is snicker at her words, hands resting on his stomach as he tilts his head back to laugh. She releases a soft giggle of her own, admiring the crinkle of his eyes and the broadness of his smile. Surely missions wouldn't feel as monotonous and lonely with the man around to brighten things up a bit. Not that she would admit that aloud, no, she was still on the fence about her feelings toward the man and dared not bring it up in fear of complicating things.

"It'll take a lot more than that to keep me away from you," Admits the man when he finally seizes his chuckling, a broad grin finding its way onto his countenance. 

Finn's hand offers the latter's, whose skin is cooler comparably, a reassuring squeeze as if to confirm his words. Once more the static flares between them, much different to the tense air of before. Her fingertips are tingling when he brings their palms together, intertwining their fingers tightly, and offering another squeeze. She returns it, of course, and meets his dark eyes that seemed to be staring through her as if she's transparent.

Then she watches with a furrowed brows as his face contorts and he's hissing and doubling over in pain. His hands are scrambling toward his back where she's sure the phantom ache is spasming and panics. Almost instantaneously she upon her feet and shuffling towards the door when he grips at her wrist, a loose grip, and an even weaker tug, and she's back to his cot.

"What are you doing!? You need a medic, Finn. If you don't let me go, I can always use the force and find someone to come help you."

It's as if she was transferred in that moment back to just before the base exploded, having been surrounded by so much chaos. She remembers trembling hands and tears that were rarely shed trickling down her cheeks and seeping into Finn's bloodstained black shirt, can remember whispering to him in hopes that he would awaken, her hand gripping his in a vice-grip as if her will alone could revive him.

"D-don't— Rey, don't.." He manages to splutter with wide, pleading eyes. "They would come and they.. They would just make you leave and I don't want that — want you to stay.. I'll be okay, I promise, it just—" He winces once more and shifts her hand until her cool, albeit clammy, palm is resting upon his heated cheek. " _Stay_?" He pleads with a deep gulp, nuzzling his face affectionately into her hand despite what was occurring.

"Finn? Finn, listen to me." Her voice is as calm and tranquil as can be as she reluctantly releases his hand in favor of placing her hands on either side of him. "I need you to help me turn you over, can you do that?" She instructs, and he nods vigorously, obliging as he rocks onto his side until he's situated upon his abdomen, cheek pressing into the plushness of his pillow. "Just—Wait." 

At least the sounds he was making was quieting down, she thinks, and she's more than relieved to hear something uttering from him. Back on Starkiller Base she had heard nothing, and he had, had a less than steady pulse. A dull thump against her ear lacking the intensity that was present during the ample amount of time together. She fights the living nightmares down and sifts throughout his drawer in hopes of finding some sort of cream or oil to help soothe the pain.

"Rey.." 

Cerulean hues glance toward him to find him staring at her, his chest heaving against the sheets, fingers clenching at them for purchase. "Shh, it's okay. You're going to be alright." She hums like a mantra, more to herself than to him, as she plucks a few containers from the drawer to lay them out on top of the parchment on the table. "I'm going to help you take your shirt off, is that okay?" She inquires hesitantly, not giving him ample amount of time to respond, as she leaps into action at tugging the hem up to reveal dark, scarred skin. 

She winces.

"Gimme a minute?" He murmurs into the pillow as he shifts his body from the sheets in a weak attempt to assist her in stripping him. Once his head is squeezing from the material, he releases a contented sigh. "See? F-feels better already, nothing to worry about." He smiles up at her reassuringly and she returns it.

"It's a little cold," She warns as she squirts some of the oil out onto her hands, rubbing her palms together effectively, before allowing them to ghost along his skin.

Rey shifts the cot under her weight when she sits once more, fingers gliding gingerly over the taut skin of his back. Cerulean eyes attempt not lingering on the jagged line that stretches across his back but its no avail. It was simply too large and distracting for her not to notice, and she gnaws on her bottom lip just thinking of how he had gotten it. Fingers tense upon his otherwise smooth skin when he hisses, only for it to morph into a soft, contented sigh as he relaxes once more beneath her touch.

"I didn't mean for this to happen."

Mulling over what to say in her mind had left her empty and she figures being blunt about it would help. The very tips of her fingers ghost along the length of his spine, starting from his lower back and tracing the scar up till it halts just below the base of his spine. He releases a sound, akin to a moan, as he shifts his arms beneath him to prop the side of his face up so he's looking at her.

"Rey, don't. It's not your fault." Of course he would say that. "You didn't do this to me, Kylo Ren did." Dark eyes flicker for a thoughtful moment before he's sighing and allowing his eyes to flutter close. "I would do it again for an eternity if I had to, just to protect you. I did it for you, and it would have been okay if I had—.. Not that I—" Another sigh from the man. "What I'm trying to say is, I would die trying to protect you, if it meant you living."

No one had ever said anything like that to her in the entirety of her existence. That familiar warmth radiates within her chest once more, though the bitter sting of his words settles restlessly upon her heart. She would rather not discuss the possibility of the lad one day dying just to ensure her survival. Couldn't bare the thought of it.

"Finn,"

"No, Rey, I mean it. I didn't think I'd matter to anyone after I left the First Order.. And then I met you and you looked at me like I did matter, like I was someone important." He chuckles solemnly and nuzzles against his arms. "It feels good — great, wonderful even. And, I, well.. You matter to me just as much, if not more."

Pads of calloused thumbs start rubbing soothing circles onto his back, starting with the base of his spine and sluggishly moving downwards. She notes the way the muscles in his back shift and flex beneath her touch, and she smiles slightly at the sight. For a moment they remain quiet, save the sweet sounds echoing from Finn.

"I have.. Well.. I have feelings for you." Tentative, she is, as she tests the words out on her tongue. Taking caution would get her nowhere and she figures honesty would be the best route.

"Yes!" He hisses more to himself than aloud but clears his throat and nods nonetheless. "I mean, uh, yeah? Do you?"

She pauses for a moment to flex her oil-covered fingers to relieve the stiffness forming there before nodding simply. "I do, yes."

"I — I don't wanna assume things," He states with a stifled yawn as he address the brunette: "But, well, what kind of feelings? Exactly? I just, I need to know."

"I'm not exactly certain." As hesitant as she is to admit it, she can't resist. Talking to Finn was easy, just as easy as breathing, of swinging a lightsaber or even meditating. "But I swear on the Force that they're good feelings, the type I haven't felt for anyone else."

"Yeah?" Another affectionate smile is directed in her general vicinity. "Me too."

Ivory teeth are revealed as she smiles at him, cheeks flushing a faint pink, as she removes her hands from his back with a hushed whimper from Finn. "What? I just know you're tired, Finn, and I figured I'd let you rest a bit before tomorrow. There are only a few hours left until you're expected to be up to meet with the General."

"Yeah, no, you're right. Plus you have the Jedi-thing with Luke and I don't think he'd appreciate it if you ended up falling asleep during meditation.." Murmurs the man thoughtfully as he shifts until he's laying on his side, fingers absently seeking out Rey's: "Mostly because he'll do that mind trick thing and figure out I'm the reason and scold me like he did before."

Rey snorts lightheartedly, however, as she takes his hand in hers and brushes the pad of thumb over his knuckles. "I'll be back tomorrow, of course. Just try to stay out of trouble while I'm gone." 

"I can't make promises I can't keep, Rey." Her eyes roll on their own accord but he smiles nonetheless as she rises upon her feet, placing the containers back in their rightful places. "Rey?"

"Yes, Finn?" She hums as she closes the drawer and turns on her heel to face him, brow quirking curiously.

"Never mind, it's nothing." Retorts the darker skinned male as he adjusts the pillow beneath his head. Rey notes the slight shiver he takes and leans down to swiftly draw the sheets up to encase his form, leaning down to brush a kiss on his temple.

All he can do is smile as she bids him goodnight, strolling back down the lengthy corridor to her room for rest.

There are no nightmares that night, no, there's only the comfortable peace that sleep has to offer.

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme know if anyone else has done the back rub thing, please? Because I'd love to read someone else's take on it~ I just thought it'd be an interesting concept to do c:
> 
> As always, thank you guys for reading !! All your comments keep me going.
> 
> //or i'm just total finnrey trash and that's okay too.
> 
> SN: I hope I did okay with the characters and writing from Rey's perspective ?


End file.
